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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24373747">Carbon And Minerals</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuriouslyCheekyCheye/pseuds/CuriouslyCheekyCheye'>CuriouslyCheekyCheye</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>All That Glitters Must Be A Rock [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Axel: certified human heater, Blind Character, Castle Oblivion (Kingdom Hearts), Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Gen, It's riku, Maybe - Freeform, The Author Regrets Nothing, The connection between art and memories is very interesting, What a bad day this boy is having, donald and goofy are worried, forgot to mention, gem au, give sora armour 2020, maybe ill give them a break, no beta we die, so much, the card system is insane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:42:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,667</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24373747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuriouslyCheekyCheye/pseuds/CuriouslyCheekyCheye</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The trio brave Castle Oblivion, trying to stay together in a place where the walls and floors melt away when you pass through the door. But it's hard to keep yourself in one piece when something important feels missing. If only Sora knew what.</p><p> </p><p>Riku searches for redemption in a world where his arrogance had blinded him.</p><p> </p><p>A story and a dance, and Naminé realizes what it means for her to live.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Donald Duck &amp; Goofy &amp; Sora (Kingdom Hearts)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>All That Glitters Must Be A Rock [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1530383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Geez, it's been almost a month since i last added a part here! There goes my schedule...</p><p>I haven't had a lot of time to write, what with only now catching up with about four weeks worth of school work. I managed to make this, and plan to make some more, so i hope you all like it! First chapter is Sora!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Donald furiously shakes out his feathers after he jumps back to his feet, then rushes at the Nobody roaring a Blizzard at it. The Nobody dissipates in a swirl of frozen black chips, and another one gets slammed into a wall behind him by Goofy.</p><p>They got separated from Sora, which is <em>not </em>something they want to do right now. They wouldn’t want to do it usually, but <em>usually</em> they aren’t trapped in the middle of a castle that changes corridors at the flip of a coin, surrounded by creatures they know next to nothing about. And usual or not, they <em>do not</em> want to be less than three feet from his side when he’s being…</p><p>Donald has no idea how to describe this. Is it tunnel vision? Sure Sora can get pretty focused on a goal, from saving princesses to simply a scavenger hunt, but he’s never been this bad. And this isn’t just a goal, it’s almost developed into an<em> obsession</em>.</p><p>He and Goofy bulldoze through Nobodies as fast as they can, trying to reach the room they can hear Sora fighting in before the castle decides to leave him in the basement and them on the roof.</p><p>They arrive just in time to hear him and Riku echoing the same memory at each other, and they even pull out the same charm. The <em>exact same charm</em>, in fact. Donald tries to focus on the following fight but he just can’t wrap his head around this.</p><p>Ever since they came to this castle something weird has been going on. It’s as though the minute they stepped through the front door they started to forget things, the least of it being their magic and attacks. This stupid card system they have to fight with is going to send him off the edge of a psychotic murder spree the next time he tries to cast a heal and gets a <em>feather-damned Fire</em> again.</p><p>Donald follows Sora’s swipe with a Thunder and jumps away so Sora and Goofy can get Riku from either side.</p><p>And there’s another thing. <em>Riku.</em> Donald doesn’t know him personally, beyond the one stilted conversation they tried to have with him in Hollow Bastion, but he can confidently say the brat didn’t act like this. He was quieter for one thing, and not obsessed with Naminé for another.</p><p>And may he mention the fact he can’t see a gem<em> anywhere</em> on the kid? Not even a bump under that weird suit of his.</p><p><em>What</em> is going on here? Donald is just about ready to rip out his tail-feathers because this confusion is going to drive him insane. A strange shift in personality is either brain-washing or a concussion. Obsession can be attributed to whatever the star is going on with this crazy castle or some major- tunnel visioning.</p><p>But the absence of something that iscritically important to the existence of whatever Sora and Riku are… Either something horrible is going on here, or…</p><p>
  <em>Or that isn’t Riku. </em>
</p><p>The imposter runs away, and the trio takes that moment to catch their breath. Sora barely waits a minute before he rushes up the stairs. Donald and Goofy turn to each other uncertainly.</p><p>“Aww… I don’t understand what’s going on….” Donald says, shrugging his shoulders. Goofy sends him an equally helpless look.</p><p>Sora frowns at them, and says, “Let’s just keep moving, okay?” He looks to the door. “It doesn’t matter.”</p><p>Donald scowls, “It <em>does </em>matter. How can two of you have the same memory?” If both of them were there it would make sense, but they weren’t. And that charm… Donald knows that charm doesn’t look right, but he can’t for the life of him point out how.</p><p>“You can’t both be right.” He says instead.</p><p>“I’m wrong?” Sora near <em>snarls </em>at them, something he’s never done to even Ansem. Donald and Goofy flinch back in surprise as he continues with, “Fine, then don’t believe me!” He takes an aggressively hard step to the door.</p><p>Goofy raises his hands to soothe the sudden tension. “That’s not what he meant. We’re just kinda worried.” Donald stays quiet for the moment because Goofy’s way better at not setting people off than he is.</p><p>“Then let’s ask Naminé! That should clear it up,” Sora waits for them impatiently. When they don’t move, he huffs, “Look, we don’t have time to sit around. So let’s<em> go</em>.”</p><p>Goofy takes a careful step forward like he’s trying not to aggravate an animal they’ve never encountered before. It sure feels like it.</p><p>“Sora, what happened to ya?” He asks softly. Why is this sweet, kind, thoughtful kid turning so irrational and angry? Even when they left him he didn’t snap at them. Is this built up anger finally peaking?</p><p>They deserve it, they do, but now isn’t the time. They need to find a safe room and try to talk to him before this gets worse.</p><p>“What’s <em>that</em> mean?” Sora reels back defensively.</p><p>“Well, ya always get real touchy when it comes to stuff about Naminé… But before we came to this castle, you didn’t even remember what her name was.”</p><p>And there is the root of their current worries.</p><p>“Now Naminé’s the only thing you talk about,” Donald adds because this is so far off from what he used to be like barely days ago. Has it been days? This castle has no windows to track time, and the memories they go through aren’t helping matters any.</p><p>Sora didn’t use to be like this, so one-tracked. Not with his friends. They’d spend hours on the ship listening to him tell stories about everyone he knows. From his best friends to his family to the guy who paints surfboards on the south-west beach. So this Naminé? Donald and Goofy aren’t so certain he grew up with her, if he even knows her at all.</p><p>Wakka, Tidus, Selphie, Riku, Kairi, these are people he knows and has talked to death about. If this Naminé girl really exists, then they would have heard at least a mention. But they come to this castle, forget some things, and he suddenly starts remembering everything about her? It’s suspicious. </p><p>
  <em>Something isn’t right.</em>
</p><p>Goofy is evidently on the same train of thought. “It doesn’t make sense. Maybe you should just slow down and think ahead about some of these things.” He tries to reason.</p><p>“Think ahead? What is the matter with you guys? Do you want me to abandon her!?” Sora yells, a flash of panic and betrayal appearing on his face before he covers it with rage.</p><p>Donald flinches, “No, that’s not it-”</p><p>Sora turns away from them completely, and yells, “Then do whatever you want! You can lay back and take a nap for all I care! I’m going to find Naminé!” Then he storms off.</p><p>“Sora!” Donald and Goofy cry out. He doesn’t look back. Donald thinks Jiminy tries to reason with him, because he can hear Sora distantly snap, <em>“Keep it to yourself!”</em></p><p>Donald and Goofy shoot each other worried looks, now unconcealed.</p><p>“What is going on with him?” Donald asks.</p><p>“Garsh, I don’t have clue,” Goofy scratches his head. “But we should give him a little space to calm down.”</p><p>Donald nods slowly, and they follow Sora to their next battle.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>As more time passes, it becomes clear Sora’s sudden irrational anger isn’t the only problem.</p><p>More and more Sora drifts into his own head, seemingly getting captured in daydreams and startling back into reality after increasingly longer timeframes. He’d blankly stare at walls instead of talking when they rest and walk around like he’s sleepwalking.</p><p>Donald and Goofy try to keep themselves in between Sora and any Nobody they fight, taking them out before they can cause too much trouble. Sora is getting slower, sloppier, and he doesn’t notice. Not their interference, and sometimes not even the fact they were attacked at all.</p><p>Donald and Goofy hold a quiet discussion with Jiminy while Sora sleeps, searching the cricket’s journals for any clue as to what this is. They don’t know enough about humans to tell if this is a sickness or some kind of mental thing, so they try to see if he mentioned anything of note inside the tiny pages.</p><p>Jiminy comes up with a possible source.</p><p>“Look! Right here, Sora mentioned his species is based on their gems,” He points to a particular passage in one of the earlier journals. “If the gem is broken, they die. See?”</p><p>“You think we should check it?” Goofy asks, glancing down to where Sora is using his leg as an improvised pillow. “I don’t think he likes people seeing it. Remember Atlantica?”</p><p>That’s why they know he has a gem in the first; he’d never really mentioned them before then. That beautiful blue diamond shone under the waves like a beacon when the sun hit it, leaving a kaleidoscope of colours on the walls. They had also caught a glimpse of the three small gems inside it before he’d gotten so shy and nervous he nearly bowled them over to get some seaweed and fashion it into a sling.</p><p>Others could still see the gem, but it looked more like a shiny thing he was carrying around than a part of his anatomy.</p><p>After that, he was more open to telling them about his world and some about his culture, but nothing really in-depth. They should have asked him more about their health and safety, the effect it has on humans. No use for could’ve, would’ve and should’ve now, though.</p><p>“We need to cover all our bases,” Jiminy says regretfully, hopping onto Donald’s hand and making his way up to his hat. Donald nods, moving so he can shake Sora awake. “Yeah, we don’t want to miss something important.”</p><p>Goofy sighs, “Shucks, I guess you’re right.” He would prefer to let Sora sleep a little longer, but the sooner they do this the better.</p><p>“Sora. Sora, wake up. We need to do ask you something. C’mon, up!” Donald shakes his shoulder roughly. Sora opens one eye groggily to aim a glare at him, grumble, then turns to dig his face into Goofy’s leg. Goofy chuckles.</p><p>“Sorry, Sora,” He gently starts nudging Sora to sit, getting a sleepy frown in return. “But this is really important. You can sleep later, alright?” They give him a moment to gather himself, Donald tapping his foot while he yawns.</p><p>“What is it? We gotta go?” He asks, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.</p><p>Donald cuts to the chase and says, “We need to see your gem.”</p><p>Sora blinks, yawns, and asks, “What?”</p><p>“Your gem, we need to see it. Unzip your shirt.”</p><p>Sora blinks again and gives a slightly confused frown. “Excuse me?”</p><p>Donald growls, quickly losing patience, “Show us-”</p><p>“No, no, I heard you.” Sora interrupts, his confusion fading to offense. “Donald, that is <em>so</em> rude. You don’t just ask someone to <em>show you their gem</em>, that’s just- <em>ugh!</em>” Now Donald gets to be confused, bewildered in the face of Sora’s disgust and scowl. What did he do now?</p><p>Goofy pulls Sora back a little. “We don’t mean to offend, but we’ve gotta see it,” He tells him. Before Sora can say anything he adds, “You’ve taken a lot of hits lately, and we just want to make sure nothing is broken. Just to be sure.”</p><p>Sora settles down, giving them both an uncertain look. Faced with Goofy’s reassurance and Donald’s annoyance, he slowly agrees.</p><p>The two watch closely as he pulls the zipper down to his belly button, giving them a clear view of his gem. Sora then pulls his hand away to yawn, closed-eyed and loud.</p><p>Three seconds later he’s almost smothered with feathers as Donald lunges and yanks his zipper back up, then his jacket for good measure.</p><p>“Hey!” He calls out, trying to shove Donald back. “What are you doing? Get off!”</p><p>Goofy pulls them both up and starts marching them forward. “Everything looks fine to me! C’mon, let’s go see if we can find anything here to eat, I’m starving. Donald, there was a Moogle on the last floor, right?” He says loudly and cheerfully.</p><p>Donald catches on, declaring just as loud, “Yeah! Right! Let’s go!” He wiggles out of Goofy’s hold and runs to start pushing Sora’s other side. “Maybe they have armour or know where to find some. We should get some, right Goofy?”</p><p>“Yup! It’ll get more dangerous from here, so we should definitely get some, ah-hyuck.”</p><p>“What is up with you two? You’re being so weird today.” Sora comments, nearly tripping over their feet with how close they are. His hand wanders to his jacket zipper, where Goofy pushes it away.</p><p>“Maybe you should keep that closed,” He suggests helpfully. “Human skin ain’t very good for retaining heat, and the castle is pretty chilly.”</p><p>“If you say so, but as long my gem is fine, so am I.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Riku’s chapter.</p><p>Or:</p><p>Watch me make this poor boy’s day worse.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This entire building makes Riku want to take a chair to someone’s head. And not just because he has to hunt down cards to get to the upper floors, which means fighting through all the strong Heartless that only days ago were under his control. And it isn’t because he’s reliving the memories of the numerous mistakes he’s made either. No, of course not, it can’t possibly be that simple.</p><p>He has to navigate this hellish maze <em>blind.</em></p><p>It's hardest when he needs to fight, but practice and life-threatening attacks make perfection, and without Mickey to cover his back his sense of smell is all he’s got- and it’s just getting better. Not quite good enough to smell darkness further than two meters away, but when something big comes along he can generally tell where it’s charging from.</p><p>And don’t even get him started on trying to read the dust-damned cards. Riku’s been extremely careful to keep his fighting cards and location cards in separate pockets so he doesn’t end up Heartless Food.</p><p>Riku knows he brought this on himself. This is only a part of the price he must pay, what he must endure to redeem himself, so he refuses to complain. But that doesn’t make it any easier. Besides, it’s only the beginning.</p><p>He keeps one hand on his fighting deck, and the other on the wall, carefully listening for that familiar scratching-taps of Heartless claws. His footsteps echo in the corridor, his path unblocked by anything but his own hesitance.</p><p>He misses Mickey. Riku misses that chipper confidence he radiated, absolutely sure they’d find a way out of the darkness and to safety. He wants his calm reassurance and steady voice that gently helped him through his fear and anxiety. Riku hasn’t known him long, but he’s so desperate for a kind person to help him, who won’t trick him like Maleficent. Someone who won’t use his blindness against him.</p><p><em>Sora.</em> He wants Sora. Kind, trusting, never-even-thought-to-doubt-him Sora who looked at everything Riku did and refused to hate him. His best friend who, each time Riku taunted and attacked him, looked at him like he could see every little bit of jealousy and fear inside Riku’s heart, and wanted to soothe it.</p><p>And <em>Kairi</em>. How will he ever be able to say a word to her, knowing the atrocities he’s done on her behalf? The thought of explaining to her he was prepared to murder a child to bring her back puts a vice on his gem.</p><p>His stomach clenches, and he thinks this stress might give him cramps soon. He’s surprised he hasn’t had them at all yet, so it’s only a matter of time.</p><p>Riku’s hand leaves old, cracked stone, and hits the frame of a door. He searches around for a door handle, then turns it and enters.</p><p>The sound doesn’t echo far when the it shuts behind him, so Riku assumes he’s in a room instead of a hallway. To his right, he feels a wall, and to his left a plank of wood. More investigation reveals it to be a bookcase, stuffed to the brim with thick books. They smell old and dusty, but familiar. His nose scrunches.</p><p>The bookcase hits another one in the corner, which in turn makes up about another meter or two of the wall to the left. It stops a bit before a desk, barren but for a few scattered papers, pens and an open book. He follows the furthest wall to a bed, and then to the door again. Riku frowns thoughtfully, the goes to the bed and feels the pillow.</p><p>It’s the pillow he had in Hollow Bastion. He knows this because there’s one lump in the centre that is as hard as a rock and irritated the hell out of him at night. He’s tried to cut it out, but there was never anything there. He had decided not to bring it up to Maleficent, because how spoiled would he sound if he complained about a lump in his pillow?</p><p>And it’s right there, small as a pea but right where it could dig into his neck if he lied down. His pillow. Which means…</p><p>“Everything<em> is</em> just how I remember it. Even this room…” Riku mutters, dropping the pillow and rubbing his eyes. So that means he’s in Hollow Bastion.</p><p>
  <em>“It must be nice being back in your old room. Think of all the memories…” </em>
</p><p>Ah, there’s that voice again. That strange voice that sounds like someone is standing <em>just </em>behind him, but he can’t find the speaker no matter which way he swings his arms. Riku <em>will</em> admit it can be slightly helpful, but there’d be no protests from him if it decided to never make a sound again.</p><p>“You again,” He scoffs, brushing a stray hair off his cheek. “Sorry, but these memories I could do without. Maleficent gave me this room.” There are things here that <em>can </em>help him through this journey, but he wants none of it. Not the journals full of spells, not the practice weapon under his bed, and <em>absolutely not</em> the strip of enchanted cloth she gave him to protect his gem.</p><p>He isn’t Sora. He won’t hide his gem out of shame or embarrassment.</p><p>Riku stops dead, giving himself a rough shake. <em>No! He won’t think like that! Never again! </em>He growls to himself</p><p>The voice talks again, <em>“So she did. And you lived here, tempted by the darkness she offered. You cast away your home, your friends, everything…”</em> Every word adds weight to his shoulders, another stone in the scale counting his sins. Riku can’t even defend himself; the voice is just echoing what he already knows, after all. <em>“But at least they gave you a nice room.” </em></p><p>But he can only take so much.</p><p>“Stop talking!” Riku rages, blindly running to the door, yanking open the handle and slamming it closed behind him, as though that could somehow lock his guilt away. The voice is quiet now, but Riku swears he can feel it laughing at him.</p><p>Slowly, because he can’t be anything else without being able to see, Riku continues on.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Riku goes through an archway, listening to the tap of his feet. He’s in a big room this time. Huge in fact, likely a ballroom or something. He unsteadily walks forward and meets what feels like a railing. He breathes deeply.</p><p>“No one here either…” He murmurs, then lets out a sigh. His eyes stared sightlessly into the distance. “There’s nothing but Heartless in this castle.” But that’s not much different from the actual place, plus or minus a malicious fairy and a few unconscious princesses. Speaking of which…</p><p>“Voice!” He calls out, “I know you’re watching- so explain this! Where are the people from my memories?”</p><p>The voice answers<em>, “Do you really want to see them?”</em></p><p>Riku growls, “Of course I do!” What, did it think he was talking to it for <em>fun?</em> As if.</p><p><em>“But you cast them aside.”</em> It says simply. Because it just doesn’t stop picking at the crack that’s already chipping.</p><p>“What?” He questions quietly, hatefully. <em>Why won’t it stop?</em></p><p>The voice continues, heedless of the fact it’s hurting him. Maybe because of it. <em>“You dreamt of the outside world, and you passed through the door to darkness. Behind you, you left family, friends, home –everything- all in pursuit of darkness.” </em>It mocks him, whispering almost contently in his ears.</p><p>“But I cast that aside too!” Riku yells almost desperately. He knows what he did, <em>please-</em></p><p><em>“And what do you have to show for it?”</em> It laughs quietly. Riku flinches, feeling like someone punched him in the gut and stole all the air from his lungs.</p><p>It continues, <em>“First your home, then the dark. Your heart only knows how to cast away. It’s empty- like that room. Like your memories.” </em>Everything around him is so quiet. There’s no sun, no waves, no shifting sand or talking neighbours. No Mom asking him to run errands, no kids inviting him to play games.</p><p>The Heartless don’t lurk in every corner, Maleficent isn’t waiting for him to join her in the library. Kairi is safe at home where he can’t help her collect seashells, and Sora is stars only know where looking for him and probably in danger.</p><p>The deathly, empty quiet is broken by one cruel whisper.</p><p>
  <em>“Like your gem.”</em>
</p><p>Riku bites his lip to stifle a sob, his hands clenching the railing so hard his knuckles turn white. <em>No,</em> he wants to say. <em>No, that isn’t true.</em></p><p>But isn’t it?</p><p>
  <em>“That’s why you don’t meet anyone. Your heart is hollow- except for the residual darkness.”</em>
</p><p>“You’re wrong!” Riku roars, wishing it would just <em>shut up. </em>“I rejected the darkness!”</p><p>It laughs, low and knowing, <em>“Ha ha ha… Did you really now?”</em> Riku lets go of the railing and starts running. He doesn’t care where, just <em>anywhere </em>but here. He shouldn’t have asked; he shouldn’t have invited the voice to torment him.</p><p>
  <em>“Is that why you’re still blind?”</em>
</p><p>That sob finally escapes his throat, pained and scared. And, as though the universe is proving the voice right, Riku reaches the stairs.</p><p>He falls.</p><p>Self-loathing stakes through him like a chisel right before he poofs.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Riku is unendingly grateful to the fact that no Heartless appear during the unknown amount of time he spends in his gem. They might not have been attracted, or not interested in simple stone, but he doesn’t know for sure. Can they sense a Heart in a gem?</p><p>This isn’t something to think about right now. He keeps moving.</p><p>Time passes in eternities, in the blink of an eye, struggling with him through Heartless, through Nobodies, through every organisation member he’s forced to defend against in this insane place.</p><p>He survives Lexaeus only because he could hear his heavy footsteps and the whistling in the air as he swung his huge weapon. Then Riku got cocky and had his ribs either bruised or cracked in return for his ego. The cherry on the cake is using Darkness when he panicked, and he might have actually sunken into its cold, cruel depths if Mickey hadn’t used his light to protect him.</p><p>His nose only gets better. By now he can smell darkness in far off rooms, and it’s almost good his eyes won’t work. Otherwise, the information overload might have disoriented him and left him Heartless bait.</p><p>He beats Zexion, surrounded by the harsh, chaotic winds and horrible consequences of what he’s done to his home. The fact Zexion used Sora’s form, Sora’s voice against him only made Riku more zealous in his determination to beat the illusionist.</p><p>He’ll have to thank Kairi if he ever sees her again. If a Princess of Heart, someone with pure Light in their Heart, can explain and forgive that he has to use the power of Darkness, in harmony with the Light, well… that doesn’t leave him room to argue. Trying to push it away and ignore it has only made it harder to deal with, like a festering wound. He needs to face it, and overcome it.</p><p>But how did Kairi know? How did she reach him? It wasn’t like when Mickey communicates with him…</p><p>Ansem, of course, sniffs out the Darkness Riku’s brought to the surface and tries to use it to possess him again. He’s too raw, too tired to defend himself, too new at using the Darkness like this, that he’s afraid Ansem might win this time.</p><p>Then, just like when Riku always needs it, Mickey’s light appears. Ansem lets out one frustrated, “Must you interfere again?!” And he’s gone. The strain leaves Riku stumbling, almost to his knees, and gasping.</p><p>A voice, friendly, familiar and relieved, calls out behind him.</p><p>“Phew! Sure glad I made it in time!” Riku’s breath stutters, and he turns to face it.</p><p>“That ought to keep Ansem busy for a while.” Footsteps, light and short, start to come towards him. The person smells like old rust and mild vanilla. Soft and kind and always willing to help, strong and supportive, even when everything is falling apart. It’s a comforting scent in this place where he only smells Darkness.</p><p>“Sorry I couldn’t come here sooner, Riku.” The person stops right in front of him, within arm’s reach.</p><p>Riku’s eyes widen. <em>Mickey.</em> “Your Majesty, is that you?” He asks breathlessly.</p><p>“Uh-huh!”</p><p>Riku almost can’t believe it, so… he just needs to make sure. Riku leans down, and before Mickey can do much more than blink, grabs his face. It’s furry, and round, and completely solid. Mickey laughs at him, “Whoa! That tickles!”</p><p>Riku releases him, laughs too, soft and just <em>relieved. </em>“This time you’re not an illusion. I’m so glad you could make it here,” He says.</p><p>“I made a promise to you that I would find a way, didn’t I?” And Mickey <em>did</em>.</p><p>Riku tips backwards and lets himself hit the floor, limbs feeling weak and just plain exhausted. Mickey makes an alarmed sound and scurries to his side, putting a hand on his arm. Just shy of touching his gem.</p><p>“Ahh…” Riku sighs, placing a hand over Mickey’s. “I’m okay. Don’t worry.” He tosses a smile where he thinks Mickey’s face is, “Guess I’m just relieved.”</p><p>He goes quiet, speaking in hesitant words, “I’ve- I’ve been alone so long that having someone else around is… is a little…” Shocking? Overjoying? The best thing that’s happened to him since he got here? It’s hard to put a word to it and embarrassing to say.</p><p>“Overwhelming.”</p><p>Mickey gives Riku a moment to gather himself and answers his questions happily. The card that helped him escape the realm of Darkness is placed in Riku’s hand, and Riku is grateful he doesn’t have to try and grab thin air to find it.</p><p>Mickey leads him to a door where he can use it, and Riku faces his next enemy.</p><p>He will not let the Darkness take the rest of him. He will not bow or run from it any longer.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Are you Naminé?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So this chapter was gonna be posted sooner, but then Twenty One Pilots started the livestream and I spent a few hours laughing at the kicked-over, very on fire ants nest that the fandom’s become. Their screams of frustration trying to find Code 20 is hilarious.<br/>Any idea what the pillow refers to? It’s not really important to the plot, just a silly little Easter-egg I added. I thought it would be cute.<br/>I can’t remember who Riku did, didn’t and almost fought in the game, so whatever. Canon is dead and I’m looting its pockets for character trauma.<br/>When Mickey hands Riku the card that got him out of the Realm of Darkness and says, “When I picked it up, I could see your heart beyond the darkness. That’s what let me find you. I guess the card thought its place was to be with you.” Guys, I felt a part of me fade away. This card system, I swear.<br/>I would have liked to include Repliku, 'cause boy is he tragic, but I couldn’t really fit him in here. Oh well, I think I’ve got a place for him next chapter.</p><p>Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and kudos on your way out, and remember to take breaks while wearing your mask. Those things are so hard to breathe with. See you next time!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Guess who wondered their way onto the screen and made me rewrite this entire chapter's planning?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s cold and quiet, and the only thing that ever changes in this room is the page she’s scribbling on. It never grows dimmer or brighter, and only her hands move more than an inch at a time.</p>
<p>Naminé is tired. Marluxia doesn’t allow her to sleep often, or long, and when he does it’s on the stone-hard floor. Sometimes, when Axel is watching Sora on the crystal orb, he lets her use his thigh as a pillow. He’s very warm, and will generally let Naminé get an hour or two of extra rest before she has to continue drawing.</p>
<p>She doesn’t know if she can have a favourite without a Heart, but if she could then Axel would be very close. He’s so much nicer than Marluxia and Larxene, sneaking her food and pretty pencils, and telling her interesting facts about the scenes she draws -like how the tides work.</p>
<p>(Naminé doesn’t always completely understand. How can the moon pull the water up if it’s so far away?)</p>
<p>He even distracts the others when they’re particularly agitated and eyeing the only vase in the room without paper-white flowers.</p>
<p>She wonders if he knows what it’s for.</p>
<p>In the end, Naminé has no problem saying he’s her second favourite. He’s nice, he’s warm, and he doesn’t order her around or get angry at the flip of a page. She’d draw him something pretty any day.</p>
<p>The replica, on the other hand, comes in first. When not attacking Sora or the original Riku, he’d come stand next to her and watch the Organisation with sharp eyes and a paranoid focus.</p>
<p>“What’s it this time?” He’d ask quietly, casually leaning with his arms crossed and his shoulder against the side of her chair. She would shift slightly to let him see better and to lean into his warmth.</p>
<p>“Kairi is showing them how to make charms. I’m muffling her hair colour and changing the seashells to wood.” She mutters, an eraser sweeping across Kairi’s face to turn the brilliant auburn into a faded brown. Closer to her own blond hair, and thus easier to mistake <em>Kairi </em>for<em> Naminé</em>.</p>
<p>Easier to put herself in Kairi’s place.</p>
<p>The replica lightly nudges her arm, then gives her a soft smile when Naminé looks at him. “It looks nice,” He tells her, and Naminé, unsure of what else to do, awkwardly mimics his smile and ducks her head. She goes back to drawing, hiding, morphing memories, and he continues to lean against her chair, waiting to be called on.</p>
<p>The way he’d carefully, almost unnoticeably shift to hide her from sight showed it to be more him guarding her than simply an idle position, and she always feels a little bit safer. Naminé knows he can’t really do anything to protect her, but it’s the thought that counts.</p>
<p>But then, he couldn’t even protect himself when it really mattered. He can fight Sora and Riku as much as he likes because he’s strong enough to match them blow for blow. But Larxene? Marluxia? He doesn’t stand a chance.</p>
<p>And neither does she.</p>
<p>Naminé doesn’t make a sound in protest as she quickly, as fast and painlessly as she can, rounds up the replica’s memories and seals them away with paper chains and pencil locks. She uses the connection to Riku that Sora has like a wire, siphoning off it so she won’t need to make her own. Another star-shaped charm acts as an anchor.</p>
<p>They have her call him Riku, for all both of them used to know he isn’t.</p>
<p>It’s easier to wipe away Kairi in Riku Replica’s stolen memories. All she needs to do is put a type of filter on the connection between him and Riku, and simple suggestions have him thinking the same things Sora does.</p>
<p>Larxene seems to find endless amusement at how easy it is for Naminé to manipulate others. With nothing but a crayon she can have them eating out of her hand, she mocks.</p>
<p>“Just imagine,” She drawls, tapping on Naminé’s forehead, precariously close to her gem. Naminé sits stone still. “All you have to do is everything we say, and soon you’ll have two pretty boys who’ll do anything<em> you</em> say.” She has a look in her eye like she means something. When Naminé does not react, she scoffs and mercifully leaves her be.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s another quiet day. Naminé sits stiffly in her chair, cold, and the edges of her vision are blurred with exhaustion. Her pencil trembles.</p>
<p>It’s unexpected when one of the huge doors creak open, and she tenses for a moment before she listened to the even, heavy thumps of the replica’s shoes. It’s too heavy to be Larxene but too light to be anyone else. It can’t be Axel’s either, because it’s much too loud.</p>
<p>Then again, she wouldn’t hear Axel unless he wanted her to know he was there.</p>
<p>She takes a subtle glance to the side. It’s the replica.</p>
<p>“Hello, Riku.” She greets, lying to his face with a nervous smile. It looks like he’s the only one here today.</p>
<p>“Hey, Naminé, how are you?” He asks, coming to her chair as usual. He surprises Naminé by not standing by her side but instead sinking to the ground to sit crossed-legged in front of her. This way she can perfectly see his gentle eyes, even with her head bowed. </p>
<p>“I’m okay,” Naminé answers, lowering her drawing pad. He looks at her, as though waiting for more, before shrugging and holding out his hand. She blinks, and hesitantly hands over the pad.</p>
<p>“That’s good. It’s colder here than back home, so I was worried about you.” He tells her easily, flipping through the pages and seeming to observe every line.</p>
<p>“It’s not so bad,” She kind of wishes Axel was here too, though - he radiates heat. She wonders if he does that on purpose or not.</p>
<p>The replica looks at Naminé again, at her clothes, and frowns. She stares back, but he doesn’t say anything.</p>
<p>They sit like that for a bit, silent, and Naminé pulls her box of pencils off the floor to fiddle with. It’s another thing Axel gave her, a shoebox to keep all her pretty pencils in. They’re more than the simple twelve-pack she got from Marluxia, multiple shades of the same colours and even ones that look like gold and silver. A few are so bright she almost can’t take her eyes off them. Axel calls them neon.</p>
<p>How would the walls look if she scribbled on them with these?</p>
<p>Thoughts like that are best not acted upon, even if her fingers itch to turn the paper-blackness into art.</p>
<p>“I had a thought.”</p>
<p>Naminé startles, dropping the neon blue like someone was about to scold her. Her eyes catch on his, turquoise green gazing back with sudden determination.</p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p>He stands up, pressing the drawing pad to her and placing a firm hand on her shoulder. “I’m going to get stronger,” He declares, jaw set and voice steady. “I’m going to get stronger, and then we’ll be able to leave. We’ll see all the worlds under the sun, and you’ll be able to draw everything you’ve seen yourself, not something from someone else’s memory.”</p>
<p>Naminé’s hands are slack as she stares at him wide-eyed. The replica gives her an excited smile.</p>
<p>“Can you imagine it?” He asks her, letting go and sweeping his arm into the air behind him, as though he’s showing off a grand view. “It’ll be just like the fairy tales! Dragons and castles, princesses and warriors, daring adventures in desolate battlefields and star-filled nights in flower fields.”</p>
<p>He laughs, looking more alive than she’d ever seen anyone. <em>Is</em> this alive? His eyes shine and his muscles are relaxed, and he’s looking into the air like he’s already in those places he dreams of.</p>
<p>Watching this makes the ever-present guilt flare up, filling her lungs and weighing down in her chest. Naminé bites her lip and tries not to let the replica realize her hesitance. She must not do a good job of it, because his laughter putters off until he’s awkwardly shuffling his feet.</p>
<p>He considers something, then smiles. “Oh, I just realized,” He says, much less energized, but still positive. “You weren’t on the Islands long enough to hear the stories, were you? You left before that…”</p>
<p>Naminé interrupts him before he can consider that dangerous line of thought too deeply, “You’re right.”</p>
<p>“Would you like to hear some?” He asks, making himself comfortable on the floor again.</p>
<p>Naminé hesitates. <em>Does</em> she want to hear them? She’s never going to actually see Destiny Islands, and she really needs to get back to drawing.</p>
<p>The replica takes Naminé’s silence as an answer and starts, “I think I’ll tell you the one we learned in class.</p>
<p>“There was once an empress, a beautiful diamond with a lustre as pink as roses, and a shine that rivalled the stars. They say she was the youngest of four, and thus the most immature. All she really did was play games and entertain her sisters. But she wanted more.”</p>
<p>Naminé hums. A diamond, he said?</p>
<p>The replica continues, “She wanted the same respect the people gave her sisters. She wanted the responsibility they had, people to command and colonies to run, but they refused. She was not ready, they told her. She couldn’t handle the consequences or pressure. When she argued, they’d send her to her room.</p>
<p>“The room was at the top of a tower, overlooking her sisters’ vast empire. No one would visit her for days on end, and the empress was left to stew in her own anger and frustration with no relief in sight.”</p>
<p>“What happened to her?” Naminé asks. She realizes she’s leaning forward, anticipating what’s to come.</p>
<p>“Nothing happened to her,” The replica tells her unexpectedly. Naminé blinks, surprised, and he laughs, “Yeah, but she’s not the only character in this story.”</p>
<p>“You see- because she was an empress, she was never <em>really</em> alone. She always had a servant with her, a mild-mannered pearl who would do everything she demanded. The pearl was at her side even when the empress couldn’t leave her tower. She was there when the empress’ anger overcame her restraint.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh, that… doesn’t sound good.</em>
</p>
<p>The replica’s voice goes quiet; solemn, she thinks it’s called.</p>
<p>“One day, after a big fight with her sister, the empress was so angry her screams cracked walls and shattered windows. She was sent to her room again, where she couldn’t hurt anyone.”</p>
<p>Naminé tilts her head and folds her hands in her lap nervously, questioning, “That’s good, right?”</p>
<p>He looks away from her, considering something. He seems to come to a decision when he turns back, a stony look on his face. “Naminé,” He says, and he’s become so serious so fast that she’s scared something’s wrong. Are one of the chains on his memory loose?</p>
<p>He leans in and looks her square in the eyes. She can’t look away.</p>
<p>“One of the reasons they tell us this story in school is as a cautionary tale. We gems might be strong, yeah, but we aren’t unbreakable. With a hard enough hit, we can chip, and crack, and even shatter. And when you get to a certain point, the likelihood of healing is very, very small. You get what I’m saying, right?”</p>
<p>“I…” She’s at a loss for words. He waits patiently, sharp eyes pinning her in place until she stutters out, “I-I understand. But why…?”</p>
<p>He sighs and leans back, his eyes closing and releasing her from her frozen state. “I don’t want to come off as condescending or anything,” He answers, scratching his hair, “But you’ve been relatively safe since you left the Islands, and I don’t know if there are any gems besides us out here.” His gaze flicks to her forehead, where her gem, white as the walls around them, peeks out from between blond bangs.</p>
<p>“But anyway,” He relaxes again, continuing where he left off. Naminé feels slightly off-kilter from the rapid subject swing. “The empress, furious at being ignored yet again, is sent to her room. Her feet leave cracks in the ground as she walks, and she roars her frustration into the space that surrounds her. The more she thought about it, the angrier and louder she became.</p>
<p>“But she wasn’t alone.”</p>
<p>
  <em>The pearl.</em>
</p>
<p>“She was so angry and loud, that when she screamed one last time, the pearl who always stood faithfully at her side cracked.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh no.</em>
</p>
<p>“The pearl forgave the damage done to her, ever loyal and accepting. She thought she’d done something to make the empress angry, and thus deserved it. She never left for somewhere safer, and the cracks never healed.”</p>
<p>“That’s…” Naminé tries to find a response. He gives her a stilted grin. “Yeah, it’s a pretty depressing story, huh?” The replica says awkwardly.</p>
<p>“But you know what? There’s a song attached to it too, so that makes it a little better.” He stands up and holds his hand out to her, asking, “Would you like to dance?”</p>
<p>“I’ve never danced before…”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it, just follow me.”</p>
<p>She delicately takes the offered hand, and he leads them to the middle of the wide empty room. The replica keeps hold of her and placed his other hand on her waist. Humming, he takes smooth steps to the side, slightly turning and pulling her along. Naminé stumbles at first, then starts to understand and follow the beat he’s making when his feet hit the floor.</p>
<p>It’s nice, a peaceful and calm tune, and an easy pattern of movement. They go around the room once before he starts singing.</p>
<p>“I guess I’ll have to face~ That in this awful place~ I shouldn’t show a trace~ Of doubt~” His voice is low and even, and she feels almost hypnotised by it. There’s no hesitance anywhere, in the syllables or steps, and she thinks Riku must know this song well.</p>
<p>“But pulled against the grain~ I feel a little pain~ That I would rather go~ Without~”</p>
<p>He speeds up and Naminé starts stumbling again. The turns are tighter too.</p>
<p>“I’d rather be free~ Free~ Free~” Mirth is in his eyes as he pulls her along.</p>
<p>“I’d rather be free~ Free~ Free~” He suddenly pushes her, and she ends up falling into his arm. Naminé realizes she’s being dipped.</p>
<p>“From here~” He pulls her gently to her feet.</p>
<p>They stand there for a moment, staring at each other. It’s quiet again, and it’s still cold, but she feels a little warmer, lighter.</p>
<p>She surprises herself by letting out a little huff. “That’s still sad,” She says. The replica snorts, “Yeah, it kind of is.”</p>
<p>This is nice. She half-wishes they could stay like this forever.</p>
<p>Then Larxene opens the door.</p>
<p>“Oh? We got a budding couple here? How sweet.” Her voice is honey-smooth with the undertone of a sneer, and the two break apart. Naminé clutches her fists behind her back and carefully does not run back to her chair. It’s too late to pretend she hasn’t moved.</p>
<p>“Do you need something, Larxene?” The replica inquires loudly, taking heavy steps forward and drawing all Larxene’s attention. She smirks.</p>
<p>“A little birdy told me that Sora’s starting to get closer. Will you be a dear and take care of him?” She smiles like a knife. The replica keeps walking.</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure.” He agrees flippantly, then adds, “Might be fun to beat the loser up again.”</p>
<p>Just as he reaches the door, he looks back. “I’ll be back soon, alright?” Naminé gives a short nod. Her face is to the floor again. She can’t see him frown, but she does hear the door close.</p>
<p>It doesn’t take long for Larxene to start laughing.</p>
<p>“Wow, you’ve really got him entranced! Look at him, the loser actually thinks he likes you!” She cackles with her arms holding her stomach. She looks like she might fall over laughing.</p>
<p>Naminé moves back to her chair.</p>
<p>“And the way he was holding you- if you could feel anything I bet you’d be <em>so</em> red.”</p>
<p>She sits down and picks up her drawing pad and pencils.</p>
<p>“Just wait till you get Sora. You’ll be the perfect trio!” Larxene’s heels click on the floor.</p>
<p>She grabs Naminé’s chin and forces her face up. Sharp nails and eyes filled with cruel amusement dig into her.</p>
<p>“The <em>perfect puppets,</em> right?”</p>
<p>“Right,” Naminé whispers.</p>
<p>“Good.” Larxene releases her, then starts to walk away. “You better get back to work,” She snickers as she reaches the doors. The vase makes a ringing sound when her nail taps tellingly on it. “Or else you’ll get in trouble.”</p>
<p>Naminé continues drawing.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Alone with only paper and pencil, all Naminé can do is think. And in such bleak circumstances, her thoughts can’t help but take a turn for the worst.</p>
<p>A cautionary tale told to children so they know better than to do something that would hurt them. A story with lessons, so they wouldn’t have to go through it themselves to learn the dangers.</p>
<p>It’s a good story and a pretty song, but the parallels are crushing.</p>
<p>A pearl and her empress. Naminé and the replica. One has hurt the other, and the other won’t run away, because they’re too<em> loyal</em>. But if he knew the truth, he wouldn’t be so foolish.</p>
<p>
  <em>I’d rather be free.</em>
</p>
<p>She wants him to be free. She doesn’t want him to be trapped here, she doesn’t want to turn him into Larxene and Marluxia’s doll, she doesn’t want to keep <em>hurting him like this</em>.</p>
<p>But he won’t run.</p>
<p>The charms she made flash in her mind’s eye. Shaped like yellow wooden stars, both designed to lock away memories, and act as anchors to illusions. Difficult things to make, and near impossible for anyone but her to break. But if there was a key…</p>
<p>Naminé picks out her turquoise pencil from her shoe box and clenches it tightly.</p>
<p>It stands out boldly against the never-ending white.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What even is this month, guys?? Like, this chapter would have been posted sooner, but then Union Cross updated and I got swept up into Dark Road. And may I express the hate I felt in my soul when Agrabah came onto the screen? I know for a fact Nomura does this on purpose, because it was stated in an interview the reason he puts so many zippers and buckles on the characters’ clothes is because he knows it irritates people.</p>
<p>If he would do that with zippers, why wouldn’t he do it with a whole ass game??? This man has too much power…</p>
<p>And may I add the excitement Melody of Memories gives me? Like, Kairi might actually get some character development. The thought makes me so happy</p>
<p>Now that I’m done with that rant, let’s move on.</p>
<p>You know, I was gonna have more Sora and Riku in this chapter, but then Repliku came onto the scene like: “I got a tragic story :) :) You know you wanna :) :) :)”</p>
<p>And he was right, and I am weak.</p>
<p>I’ll need to put that in the tags. ‘Axel: certified human heater’. Or Nobody heater?? Hmm.</p>
<p>Romance isn’t my end goal, but if that’s how you want to see it go ahead. I just really want these two to be able to experience something soft and kind before everything goes sideways.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and kudos on your way out, and remember to take your meds if you have any! See you next time!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Author's Note- Not Abandoned</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Woops?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sooo. Been a while. In my defense, i fell into hollow knight and also adhd is strong. </p><p>I've been getting back into kh and finally managed to play the games, which has been great, and i decided i wanna continue this. Then i started reading my notes and remembered i'm terrible at making notes, so half my plot vanished with the wind.</p><p>Because of this I have a few open spaces, and can thus fit random stuff in. What this is means is that I’m taking a few requests, ideas and suggestions. Go ahead, toss them at me! Credit will naturally be given where due.</p><p>While im reworking the plot i'm also writing chap 4 of this installment of the series, so no worries! any feedback and thoughts would be really appreciated.</p><p>Thank you for reading, and have a good evening/morning/afternoon!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I refuse to let this sweet marshmallow boy get his squishy organs yoinked out because he runs around in a nice comfy onesie. I like the onesie, I do, but please. Let this boy get some armour beyond a cool magic outfit. </p><p>I have no idea how to write this chapter where Donald and Goofy can’t be in a fight unless summoned from the cards. Let’s all pretend that only includes spells, and it’ll be easier to both write and read.</p><p>As you can see, Donald and Goofy don’t really know a lot about gems. Why would Sora explain it? All this stuff is pretty common knowledge to him. They just know the basics, and interesting facts like what gems his friends are.</p><p>Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and kudos on your way out, and stay safe during the Pandemic! Until next time!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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